Configuration method for a remote

Abstract

An online remote control configuration system for efficiently programming a remote control to recognize a plurality of external electronic devices. The online remote control configuration system includes a remote control having a housing, a keypad, and an electronic system for receiving configuration data from a control station is a global computer network (e.g. Internet). The user preferably “samples” one or lore signals from a remote control into the electronic system and then uploads the samples to the control station. The control station analyzes the uploaded samples and transmits the appropriate configuration data to properly configure the electronic system. The user may also access a web site of the control station and manually select each of the external electronic devices that the remote control is to operate after which the control station sends the appropriate configuration data to the electronic system.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for providing information on a device having a display, comprising:
 displaying a user interface on the device including fields for entering product information; 
 receiving product information from a user, the product information related to an appliance to be controlled and including at least one of a make, a model number, a device type, a device physical appearance, and a remote control physical appearance related to the appliance to be controlled; 
 determining a list of possible choices for the appliance to be controlled based on the received product information; 
 displaying a plurality of descriptors corresponding to the list of possible choices by which the user can select a descriptor for the appliance to be controlled from among the list of possible choices, wherein the descriptors include at least one of descriptors of possible devices or descriptors of device remote controls; 
 receiving a descriptor selection for the descriptor for the appliance to be controlled from the user; 
 transferring the descriptor for the descriptor selection to a programming system that is remote from the appliance to be controlled; and 
 determining in the programming system a set of command codes for the appliance to be controlled based on the descriptor. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising querying the user for a model name and a model number for the appliance to be controlled to identify the set of command codes. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the descriptor includes a physical appearance identifier for a remote control. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of descriptors includes a plurality of pictures presented on a remote control. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of descriptors are presented on a web page of the programming system. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the descriptors include images of a plurality of remote controls. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of descriptors includes a plurality of pictures of possible appliances to be controlled corresponding to the product information. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the programming system is remote from the device. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device is a television. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device is a mobile communications device. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the possible choices are of one type of appliance, the one type of appliance being one of a TV, a VCR, or a DVD player. 
     
     
       12. A method for providing information on a device having a display, comprising:
 displaying a user interface on the device including fields for entering product information; 
 receiving product information from a user, the product information related to an appliance to be controlled and including at least one of a make, a model number, a device type, a device physical appearance, and a remote control physical appearance related to the appliance to be controlled; 
 determining a list of possible choices for the appliance to be controlled based on the received product information; 
 displaying a plurality of descriptors corresponding to the list of possible choices by which the user can select an identifier for the appliance to be controlled from among the list of possible choices, wherein the descriptors include at least one of descriptors of possible devices or descriptors of device remote controls; 
 querying a user for a selection of one of the displayed identifiers; 
 receiving the selection of the select identifier from the user; 
 transferring information for the select identifier to a programming system that is remote from the appliance to be controlled; and 
 determining in the programming system a set of command codes for the appliance to be controlled based on the information for the select identifier. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the device is a remote control, the method further comprising controlling the appliance to be controlled with the remote control. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of descriptors include images of a plurality of remote controls. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of descriptors include a plurality of pictures of appliances to be controlled corresponding to the product information. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the possible choices correspond to one type of appliance, and the one type of appliance is one of a TV, a VCR, or DVD player. 
     
     
       17. A method for providing information on a device having a display, comprising:
 displaying a user interface on the device including fields for entering product information of an appliance to be controlled, the product information including at least one of a make, a model number, a device type, a device physical appearance, and a remote control physical appearance related to the appliance to be controlled; 
 receiving selected product information from a user; 
 determining a list of possible choices based on the received selected product information; 
 displaying a plurality of descriptors corresponding to the list of possible choices by which the user can select a descriptor for a remote control from among the list of possible choices, wherein the descriptors include descriptors of device remote controls; 
 receiving a descriptor selection for the descriptor for the remote control for the appliance to be controlled from the user; 
 transferring the descriptor for the descriptor selection for the remote control for the appliance to be controlled to a programming system that is remote from the appliance to be controlled; and 
 determining in the programming system a set of command codes for the appliance to be controlled based on the descriptor selection for the remote control for the appliance to be controlled. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the possible choices correspond to one type of appliance, and the one type of appliance is one of a TV or media playback device. 
     
     
       19. A system for providing information on a device having a display, comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 memory, including instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the system to at least:
 display a user interface on the device including fields for entering product information of an appliance to be controlled; 
 receive product information from a user, the product information including at least one of a make, a model number, a device type, a device physical appearance, and a remote control physical appearance related to the appliance to be controlled; 
 determine a list of possible choices for the appliance to be controlled based on the received product information; 
 display a plurality of descriptors corresponding to the list of possible choices by which the user can select a descriptor for the appliance to be controlled from among the list of possible choices, wherein the descriptors include at least one of descriptors of possible devices or descriptors of device remote controls; 
 receive a descriptor selection for the descriptor from the user; 
 cause the descriptor for the descriptor selection to be transferred to a programming system to enable the programming system to determine a set of command codes for the appliance to be controlled based on the descriptor, the programming system being remote from the appliance to be controlled; and 
 transfer the determined set of command codes to the device. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the display step is presented on a remote control. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the display step is presented on a web page of the programming system. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the device is a mobile communications device. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the device is a television. 
     
     
       24. One or more computer-readable storage media having collectively stored thereon executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computer system, cause the computer system to at least:
 receive product information from a user, the product information related to an appliance to be controlled and including at least one of a make, a model number, a device type, a device physical appearance, and a remote control physical appearance related to the appliance to be controlled; 
 determine a list of possible choices for the appliance to be controlled based on the received product information; 
 display a plurality of descriptors corresponding to the list of possible choices by which the user can select a descriptor for the appliance to be controlled from among the list of possible choices, wherein the descriptors include at least one of descriptors of possible devices or descriptors of device remote controls; 
 receive a descriptor selection for the descriptor from the user; 
 cause the descriptor for the descriptor selection to be transferred to a programming system to enable the programming system to determine a set of command codes for the appliance to be controlled based on the descriptor, the programming system being remote from the appliance to be controlled; and 
 transfer the determined set of command codes to the device; 
 wherein the instructions cause the computer system to display a user interface including fields for entering the product information. 
 
     
     
       25. The storage media of  claim 24 , wherein the instructions cause the computer system to further determine multiple lists of possible choices and query the user sequentially. 
     
     
       26. The storage media of  claim 24 , wherein the possible choices correspond to one type of appliance, and the one type of appliance is one of a TV or media playback device.